Start
Dec 21, 2015 - 11:30
End
Dec 21, 2015 - 12:30
Venue
Room 240 Chemical Engineering
Event Type
Speaker
Prof. Vijay Singh University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Title
Role of IBRL in Shaping Bioeconomy in the State of Illinois US and around World.
Abstract: Protection of climate and anticipative shift from fossil based to renewable feedstock are driving bioeconomy in the US and around the world. The consumer appeal for green products is creating demand for biobased chemicals and polymers. It is estimated that 20% of today’s petrochemical production will be replaced with biobased chemicals in the next decade. Large amounts of renewable carbon in form of fermentable sugars are needed to enable production of next generation biochemicals and biofuels. Although cellulosic feedstocks are on the horizon starch and sugars from corn and sugarcane will continue to play an important role in shaping biobased economy around the world. New partnerships are forming between major starch/sugar processing biotech chemical and petrochemical companies to build biorefineries for production of biobased building blocks and/or polymers. Opportunities catalyzed by innovation from public-private partnerships exist for capital investment construction of new biorefineries jobs creation and new markets for biobased products. Research and development derisking and commercialization of bioprocessing technologies are critical to realize widespread benefits of this new economic activity. Role of the Integrated Bioprocess Research Laboratory (IBRL) at the University of the Illinois in shaping this economic activity in the State of Illinois US and around the world will be presented.Biography: Dr. Vijay Singh is a Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering and Associate Director of Engineering for the Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory (IBRL). He is also faculty affiliate in the Food Science and Human Nutrition as well as Institute for Genomic Biology. As Associate Director of IBRL he has provided leadership to develop linkages with industry and stimulate bio-economic development in the State of Illinois and beyond through translational scale-up of developed bioprocessing technologies. He has directed more than $9.0 million research has authored 140 peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Singh is recipient of Excellence in Research Award from Corn Refiners Association American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers College of ACES and Engineering at the University of Illinois and American Association of Cereal Chemists International. Professor Singh has also received “Excellence in Teaching” and “Innovation in Research” recognition several times. This year he received the highest honor of “University Scholar” offered by the University of Illinois System.